NDLOVU YOUTH CHOIR BRINGING PRIDE TO OUR COUNTRY
The Ndlovu Youth Choir’s progress these thirteen years has been a source of pride for many South Africans and they’ve just launched their second album ‘Grateful’, with conductor Ralf Schmitt.
Over the last decade, the Ndlovu Youth Choir has been a source of pride for many South Africans. Their powerful vocals, lively choreography and vibrant energy has inspired many across the globe.
What started out as an after-school programme for underprivileged youth has seen the group become world-renowned artists, who have won the hearts of many with their inspirational story and breathtaking talent. The group gained stardom when they entered the fourteenth season of America’s Got Talent.
Following the show, Judge and Music Producer, Simon Cowell signed the group with SYCO and Sony Music where they released their first album, “Africa” in 2019. The album debuted at Number 1 on Apple Music.
This week, we joined the group in Braamfontein to record their new music video “Africa Hey” with Sun-El Musician and Kenza.
“What we tried to represent in this music video is the beauty of Africa and the beauty of Johannesburg,” explains Ralf, “we tried to capture the energy of the inner city but also the beautiful parks around it.”
Director Bruce Patterson was at the helm and made sure to give the video the kind of homegrown design and texture you can almost feel.
“For this music video, what we’ve gone with is just showcasing Africa in the CBD… the look and feel of the video is focused on enriching the African culture and showcasing Africa.”
Getting to work with stars like Sun-El Musician and Kenza was a true reward for Lead Chorister Thulisile Masanabo.
“Working on this album has been a bit hard due to lockdown…but none the less, we got to engage with one another a lot more in terms of the emotions that were put into the song.”
The choir feel that there are so many young people around the world waiting for their chance to show what they can do. This group are humbled to represent the potential and untapped talents of those millions of young citizens of Africa.
The song “Grateful”, written by one of the choristers, tells the story of young people’s hustle to make their family and community proud. The song is also a collaboration with rapper, 25K.
For chorister Lwandile Shabalala the album is a reminder of what comes from giving youth a chance.
“The message we really want to convey with this new album is that you should always be grateful for how far you’ve come, I know the going might be tough but never forget where you come from,” says Thulisile.
